Robert Dibdale
Encyclopedia
Robert Dibdale, or Debdale, (c.1556 – 8 October 1586) was a Catholic priest and martyr.
He was born the son of John Dibdale of Shottery
, in the parish of Stratford-upon-Avon
and the birthplace of William Shakespeare
's wife Anne Hathaway at a date unknown. He had a brother Richard and sisters Joan and Agnes. It would seem the family were Catholics. Peter Ackroyd
placed Dibdale (or Debdale) in the King’s New School in Stratford, the same grammar school attended by William Shakespeare
. English government records show that in 1581 his absence abroad at Louvain since about 1576 had been noted by the authorities. However, Catholic records show that by 1581 he had been to Rome and had reached the English College at Rheims
, arriving on December 29, 1579 and set out for England on June 22, 1580. At this point he had still not been ordained. He was immediately arrested on landing at Dover. It is recorded that he was committed to the Gatehouse
by July 29 the same year, being discharged on September 10, 1582. His whereabouts immediately thereafter are obscure but on March 14, 1583 he again entered the English College at Rheims and was ordained a priest in Rheims Cathedral on March 31, 1584.
Using the alias Palmer, he set out for England on August 2 that year. He was arrested near Tothill Street in London
on July 24, 1586 and was imprisoned first at the Counter
then at Newgate
. Given the 1585 Act making it a capital offence to be a Catholic priest in England the terrible sentence of hanging, drawing and quartering was inevitable. It was carried out at Tyburn, London
on October 8, 1586. His fate was shared by two fellow priests, John Adams
and John Lowe. All three priests were declared Blessed (the last stage prior to sainthood) by Pope John Paul II on November 22, 1987.
He was born the son of John Dibdale of Shottery
Shottery
Shottery is a small village a mile west of Stratford-Upon-Avon; nowadays, it is considered a part of the town, but it retains the feeling of a distinct village.-History and amenities:...
, in the parish of Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town and civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. It lies on the River Avon, south east of Birmingham and south west of Warwick. It is the largest and most populous town of the District of Stratford-on-Avon, which uses the term "on" to indicate that it covers...
and the birthplace of William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's wife Anne Hathaway at a date unknown. He had a brother Richard and sisters Joan and Agnes. It would seem the family were Catholics. Peter Ackroyd
Peter Ackroyd
Peter Ackroyd CBE is an English biographer, novelist and critic with a particular interest in the history and culture of London. For his novels about English history and culture and his biographies of, among others, Charles Dickens, T. S. Eliot and Sir Thomas More he won the Somerset Maugham Award...
placed Dibdale (or Debdale) in the King’s New School in Stratford, the same grammar school attended by William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
. English government records show that in 1581 his absence abroad at Louvain since about 1576 had been noted by the authorities. However, Catholic records show that by 1581 he had been to Rome and had reached the English College at Rheims
Reims
Reims , a city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, lies east-northeast of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire....
, arriving on December 29, 1579 and set out for England on June 22, 1580. At this point he had still not been ordained. He was immediately arrested on landing at Dover. It is recorded that he was committed to the Gatehouse
Gatehouse
A gatehouse, in architectural terminology, is a building enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a castle, manor house, fort, town or similar buildings of importance.-History:...
by July 29 the same year, being discharged on September 10, 1582. His whereabouts immediately thereafter are obscure but on March 14, 1583 he again entered the English College at Rheims and was ordained a priest in Rheims Cathedral on March 31, 1584.
Using the alias Palmer, he set out for England on August 2 that year. He was arrested near Tothill Street in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on July 24, 1586 and was imprisoned first at the Counter
Counter
In digital logic and computing, a counter is a device which stores the number of times a particular event or process has occurred, often in relationship to a clock signal.- Electronic counters :...
then at Newgate
Newgate
Newgate at the west end of Newgate Street was one of the historic seven gates of London Wall round the City of London and one of the six which date back to Roman times. From it a Roman road led west to Silchester...
. Given the 1585 Act making it a capital offence to be a Catholic priest in England the terrible sentence of hanging, drawing and quartering was inevitable. It was carried out at Tyburn, London
Tyburn, London
Tyburn was a village in the county of Middlesex close to the current location of Marble Arch in present-day London. It took its name from the Tyburn or Teo Bourne 'boundary stream', a tributary of the River Thames which is now completely covered over between its source and its outfall into the...
on October 8, 1586. His fate was shared by two fellow priests, John Adams
John Adams (martyr)
John Adams was a Catholic priest and martyr.He was born at Winterborne St Martin in Dorset at an unknown date and became a Protestant minister. He later entered the Catholic Church and travelled to the English College then at Rheims, arriving on December 7, 1579. He was ordained a priest at...
and John Lowe. All three priests were declared Blessed (the last stage prior to sainthood) by Pope John Paul II on November 22, 1987.
Sources
- Anstruther, Godfrey. Seminary Priests, St Edmund's College, Ware, vol. 1 (1968), p.101.
- Brownlow, Frank W. Shakespeare, Harsnett, and the devils of Denham, University of Delaware Press (1993), pp.167-168.